Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-05-03
1hs Weekly Intelligencer
LANCASTER, MAY 8, lss7.
The Way TO Hold . Fair.

The Lancaster County Agricultural and
Horticultural society had lively discus.
sion over the subject Of county fairs; what
they are and what they should be, with
especial reference to the sort we have here,
which the association does not seem to ap-
prove. Mr.. johnson Miller precipitated
TIE discussion, in the midst of talk about
bugs and berries and things which the
Agricultural and Horticultural association
is especially devoted to discussing. Mr..
johnson switched it Off to another track by
suggesting that they had been talking for
several years of holding a fair, and he
wanted to know what they were going to do
about 1t. 1t was at once evident
that they were going to talk about it, and
when they had done talking it seemed as
though this was about all they were going
70 do, though Brother Eby did have a com.
miteee appointed to see whether site
could be had for the fair, at and near which
drinking and gambling could be prevented.
II seemed to be the objection of the Agli.
cultural association to the Fair association
that these things were permitted upon the
grounds, and that consequently visitors
could not take their wives and children
there with pleasure and safety.
We declare ourselves wholly in sympathy
with Mr.. Eby and all other members of his
aD0ciati0n in their objection to drinking
and gambling upon fair grounds, and they
were quite right in asking the County Fair
association to abate these nuisances. They
should not be permitted. There should not
be glass of intoxicating liquor, stronger at
least than beer, sold upon any fair ground
nor should gambling be allowed. This is
contrary to law, but Nevertheless it is not
prevented al sur sSHf county fairs, as we very
wen ka6w. The Agricultural association
Fight in condemning it, and the farmers
will do well to discountenance it.
But the Agricultural association, if it
has the influence it ought to have, will be
able to persuade the Fair association to
abate the evils Of which it justly com.
plains. 1t must remember that fairs
are held to make money, and that
as they involve a great deal of risk they
are entitled to look for a very good profit.
The Agricultural association has talked for
years Of holding fairs, but it has never had
the courage to take the risk. 1t is very
well to condemn liquor selling and gamb.
ling, and it is very bad to permit them, but
the Agricultural association has seemed to
concede, by its failure to hold fair, pruned
Of these blemishes, that it feared it
would not meet its expenses. 1t is not
reasonable that it should expect the Fair
association to do what it fears to do. If it
VIII guarantee that association against loss
No have no doubt that it will readily give
mp its licensed privileges. Our agricul-
tural friends are hardly ready to do
this probably and the next best thing for
them to do is to endure with equanimity
the consumption of beer, which is not a
very great evil, and to content themselves
with using their influence with the Fair
association to establish such strict police
supervision as will insure order and forbid
gambling and drunkenness.